Groups Guy

This September I start my new role in the Navigators. Much remains the same but now I’ll also serve the Navstaff as they work to build disciplemaking cultures in churches.

I’ve been a part of the team since I started in 2011. Now my duties will expand to lead our team to continue building The Church.

Isaiah 58:12 says a lot about what we are involved with churches. “Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age old foundations. You will be called repairer of broken walls restorer of streets with dwellings.” ESV

The church unfortunately is broken down, walls need repair, foundations need to be relaid. You’ve probably seen and heard about it too. One recent stat that came out from The Barna Group’s “State of Pastors” survey that startled me was that the average church attender now come 1.14 times a month. Wow. How does a church have any kind of impact in a life once a month?

Another stat I saw as I was reviewing a church’s Reveal Survey that 34% of the congregation believed in salvation by grace. Yikes! How can we miss this core truth in the gospel? This church also only had 12% of its people engaged in the Bible everyday! You may think I’m picking on this church. The sad fact is that’s not out of the norm with the churches I serve.

We’ve have lots broken walls.

Our Core 4 helps you proactively decide how you’ll live out all areas of your personal life. We then assist in setting ministry vision & its implementation.

That’s why I am so enthused about the role we have in our region!

Three areas we work at to rebuild The Church are: Life Coaching, Growing Intentional Disciplemaking Cultures & building laborers.

1. Our life coaching is a fantastic tool to create whole and intentional church leaders. One of my pastors says all the time about it, “Where was this 30 years ago when I started in the ministry.” This pastor has not only gone through the process but has had his staff at two churches go through it too. To learn more see my post on Life Coaching.
2. Growing Intentional Disciplemaking Cultures (GiDC) is our three year process that helps a church or organization build a disciplemaking culture. Pastor Jerry is almost finished with his church’s process. He is thrilled to see the Bible being read and discussed, discipleship triads being formed AND he knows there are new leaders within the present triads. See the post on the GiDC.
3. Building laborers comes from Matthew 9:37, 38. Jesus notes that the harvest is abundant and we were told to pray that the Lord would send out laborers. This is people like you and me to work in his harvest, shedding light, speaking truth, building up strong roots of faith. As a region we each will be discipling others, helping them take strong steps of transformation. The big dream is that many of these would also become one of Jesus’ laborers too propelling others to join in the harvest.